DNA - Cast list and first rehearsal 8/5/17

Cast list:
Mark - Will
Jan - Taylor
Leah - Chloe
Phill - Tyler
Richard - Henri
John Tate - Warren
Lou - Lewis
Danny - Cameron
Cathy - Alice
Brian - Owen
Adam - Olly K

I was very happy to find out I had been cast as Danny, since this is the I went for in the audition and I wanted this part from the start. I was told the part is a lot like myself: very slow, unaware, and always physically present but not really mentally. Although this is a lot like me, I think I am still going to be pushed far in my skills because a) I have never played this kind of character before, and b) it is going to be hard to think about the things I do every day because I don't take notice of my mannerisms, voice, stance and physicality.

We began rehearsals by trying the first scene from where John Tate, Lou and Danny enter (after Mark and Jan's duologue) and for a first attempt with movement and proper interactions (as a pose to our initial read through prior to the auditions), it wasn't bad at all. In this scene, we have just found out that Adam is supposedly dead, and Danny is absolutely solely focussed on dental college - whilst John Tate and Lou are arguing over his death and John Tate trying to convince us (and himself, I believe) that we are going to be fine, Danny is just randomly interjecting about Dental College and how the current situation "isn't part of the plan" - this can be seen as Danny being arrogant and selfish, but the challenge I have now is to make sure it comes across as his just being lost and unaware. There are 3 lines of mine where I'm talking about dental college the other two are yelling over the top of each other and we are all interrupting/shouting over the top of each other and it's very comical because I am just wailing on about Dental college whilst John Tate and Lou are shouting about Adam's death, then eventually John Tate cuts us all off with "Alright. New rule. That word is banned." and me and Lewis stop, pause, and both simultaneously turn in from either side of Warren and just look at him. This, I believe, really brings out the comedy because John Tate says something so stupid which causes us to stop instantly.

After this dialogue with Danny, John Tate and Lou, everyone else joins the scene. The last of the dialogue between us 3 is John Tate saying how the word 'dead' is banned, the when the others come in Richard abruptly says "He's dead" which makes John Tate lose it - things really brings the comedy. Throughout the rest of the scene, I don't have many lines so I need to work on my reactions and background acting - since my character is 'lost', I was trying out things like looking out into space, staring at the ground and tapping my feet and looking round aimlessly. I think I should just do small mannerisms though, because I think looking round aimlessly is too big and could take away from the main dialogue.